“I Will Betroth Thee unto Me in Righteousness”
Hosea 1–3; 11; 13–14
READ 2 Ne 25:1
1 NOW I, Nephi, do speak somewhat concerning the words which I have written, which have been spoken by the mouth of Isaiah. For behold, Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my people to understand; for they know not concerning the manner of prophesying among the Jews.
so what was the manner of prophesying among the Jews? The useage of metaphors and symbolism to teach the concept.
Why use metaphors and symbolism in teaching?
What part does the spirit play when we try to understand the usage of metaphors?
“The Manner of Prophesying among the Jews” (2 Nephi 25:1) Nephi said that to understand the writings of Isaiah, one has to understand the Jewish way of prophesying (see 2 Nephi 25:1). The same is true of Hosea because he, like Isaiah, made extensive use of metaphors and symbolism (see Old Testament Student Manual: Genesis– 2 Samuel [religion 301, 2003], pp. 111–15).
Attention Activity - Warm Up Exercise - mental aerobics!
Apply to each - Feel, touch, taste, emotion, see, attributes - what it does, signifigant meaning,
“I will pour out my wrath upon them like water” (Hosea 5:10)
“the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning;
and he shall come unto us as the rain,” (Hosea 6:3)
“He shall come as an eagle”
(Hosea 8:1) Eagles are different from many other birds of prey mainly by
their larger size, more powerful build, and heavier
head and beak. Like
all birds of prey, eagles have very large powerful
hooked beaks for tearing
flesh from their prey, strong muscular legs, and powerful
talons. They
also have extremely keen eyesight which enables them to spot potential
prey from a very long distance.
“Israel is an empty vine”
(Hosea 10:1) An empty vine is fruitless.
An empty vine is dead
looking or lifeless. An empty vine is useless.
"I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness" (Hosea 5:12) Most species of moth are nocturnal, major pests killing whole forests and crops.
“Judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of
the field” (Hosea 10:4) Hemlock
poisonous perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the family Apiaceae,
native to Europe and the Mediterranean region - plant was often used for
execution. The
most famous victim of hemlock poisoning is the philosopher socrates
Therefore they shall be as the morning
cloud, and as the early
dew that passeth away, as
the chaff that is
driven with the whirlwind out
of the floor, and as the smoke out
of the chimney. (Hosea
13:3) (In a land of little rain,
dew gives life to the desert as God’s love gives life to us.)
“I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her
whelps [cubs]” (Hosea
13:8)
“I am like a green fir tree” (Hosea 14:8)
“For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” (Hosea 8:7.
)
My last lesson ended with a discussion on covenants. We were if you will recall discussing King Hezedekiah and the cleansing of the temple, and the encouraging Israel to return to her covenants. Since todays lesson is about Hosea the message from the Lord is the same (you would not expect anything else would you?). However the way that it is taught is a little different.
Have you ever given love or trusted someone, entered into contracts or made agreements, and then been betrayed? How did you feel?
Each chapter contains at least one metaphor, and all need to be seen against the background of Israel’s history and tradition to be understood.
Read Hosea 1:1
1 THE word
of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri,
in the days of Uzziah,
Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days
of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. [ so
who Was Hosea - or what do we know about him? “Hosea
was the son of Beeri. Unfortunately we know nothing about the father.
The Hebrew name of the prophet, Hoshea, signifies
‘help,’ ‘deliverance,’ and ‘salvation,’ and is derived from the same
root as the names of
Joshua and Jesus. The Talmud
claims that he was the greatest prophet of his generation, which included
the more famous Isaiah. By reason of numerous allusions in the prophecy
to the Northern Kingdom, it is commonly supposed by commentators
that Hosea was a native of that commonwealth. The superscription
further informs us that Hosea was a prophet
‘in the days of so
who were Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah? Uzziah,
Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days
of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.’ Jeroboam II, the king
of Israel, reigned from 788 B.C. until 747 B.C. and Hezekiah, the
last-named of the kings of Judah, began to reign in 725 B.C. We
may not be far off from the truth if we date Hosea’s ministry,
therefore, from about 755 B.C. to 725 B.C. He was, then, a contemporary
of three other great prophets, Isaiah, Amos, and Micah.” (Sidney
B. Sperry, The Voice of Israel’s Prophets, p. 274.) ].
Who where the other contemporary prophets during the time of Hosea? Micah and Isaiah
What Was Happening in Hosea’s Time? “The years of Hosea’s life were melancholy and tragic. Israel his people had become an apostate people. The nation suffered under the evils of the craft of him who has been branded —‘Jeroboam,or the one who made Israel to sin.’ The obligations of law had been relaxed, and the claims of religion disregarded; Baal became the rival of Jehovah, and in the dark recesses of the groves were practiced the impure and murderous rites of heathen deities; peace and prosperity fled the land, which was harassed by foreign invasion and domestic broils; might and murder became the twin sentinels of the throne; alliances were formed with other nations, which brought with them seductions to paganism; captivity and insult were heaped upon Israel by the uncircumcised; Israel as a nation was thoroughly debased, and only a fraction of its population maintained its spiritual allegiance.”
What was it that the Israelites found so inviting amoung the Canaanites?
The sophistication of the city-based Canaanite farmers who surrounded them, the fertility of their flocks and fields (apparently elicited from the gods and goddesses of fertility) attracted the Israelite farmers. The rites by which the people supplicated the gods of fertility were lewd, licentious, and immoral. Even though Israel had covenanted at Sinai to become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation unto God, by the time of Hosea, God’s people had become deeply involved in the practices of their neighbors, whose way of life should have repelled them. So Hosea begins his ministry among Israel teach them using the following imagery about their position with God and later what they need to do.
Who was the primary audience that Hosea was called to address, or be the prophet to? unlike Isaiah and Micah, Hosea's primary target is Ephraim, the Northern Ten tribes.
Read Hosea 1:2-3
2 The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms [ Just as the people of the land are committing "whoredoms" by rebelling against the Lord, Hosea is to take a wife of "whoredoms". Thus, Hosea's marriage to the prostitute represents the Lord's covenant relationship with Israel.
How Are We to Understand God’s Commanding Hosea to Marry a Harlot?
Would God literally command one of His servants to take an immoral woman for His wife? Or is this command to be interpreted only in a symbolic sense? Interpretations fall into five general categories:
1. Hosea was actually asked by God to marry a harlot. Those scholars who maintain this view think that such a marriage served as an object lesson to call Israel’s attention to their carnal state. Others have felt that such an act would be inconsistent with God, who “cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance” (Alma 45:16). While the Lord was not commanding Hosea to sin, some have felt God would not use sinful behavior even in an object lesson of this kind. Sidney B. Sperry said that this “would be imputing to God a command inconsistent with His holy character. Furthermore, for Hosea to marry a woman with a questionable past would make it impossible for him to preach to his people and expose their sexual immoralities. They could point the finger of scorn at him and say, ‘You are as guilty as we are; don’t preach to us.’” (Voice of Israel’s Prophets, p. 281.)
2. The whole experience came to Hosea in a dream or vision. There was neither harlot nor marriage, but Hosea was asked to accept the burden of being prophet (husband) to immoral Israel (Gomer). Although possible, most scholars reject this alternative because of the intensity of Hosea’s involvement with the imagery.
3. Hosea married a woman who at the time was good and faithful but later became a faithless wife, a harlot, when she left her husband to participate in the fertility rites of the neighboring Canaanites. In this case Hosea’s life was an “enacted parable,” and the phrase “wife of whoredoms” (Hosea 1:2) refers to what Gomer became. In other words, Hosea did marry Gomer, but she was not a harlot then. Those scholars who sustain this view explain that later in life, Hosea, looking back on his experiences and all that he had suffered and learned through them, recorded incidents that helped illustrate his teachings. The difficulty with this interpretation is that the Lord commanded Hosea to take a “wife of whoredoms” (v. 2). If Gomer were faithful and true at the time of the marriage, this phrase would seem like a peculiar way to describe her.
4. A variation of the interpretation in number three is that Gomer was not an actual harlot but was a worshiper of Baal; therefore, she was guilty of spiritual harlotry. But even so, it seems peculiar that God would ask a prophet to marry a nonbelieving wife.
5. Another approach that avoids some of these difficulties is that the words present an allegory designed to teach the spiritual consequences of Israel’s unfaithfulness. Sperry felt that Hosea never did actually contract such a marriage. He explains: “The Lord’s call to Hosea to take a harlotrous woman to wife represents the prophet’s call to the ministry—a ministry to an apostate and covenant-breaking people. The . . . children of this apparent union represent the coming of the judgments of the Lord upon Israel, warning of which was to be carried to the people by the prophet. The figure of the harlotrous wife and children would, I believe, be readily understood at the time by the Hebrew people without reflecting on Hosea’s own wife, or, if he was unmarried, on himself.” (Voice of Israel’s Prophets, p. 281.)
] and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD. [ In what way was ancient Israel comparable to Gomer, who is described as “a wife of whoredoms”? (See Hosea 1:2–3; 2:5, 13. Gomer had left her husband for her lovers; Israel had forgotten the Lord and become wicked.) See Judges 2:17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so. ]
[ Who or what were Israel’s “lovers”—the things that caused her to commit these whoredoms, the things that caused the people to turn away from the Lord? (Other gods, material goods, and the practices of the world.)
What things may divert us from our dedication to following the Savior? Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained: “In a spiritual sense, to emphasize how serious it is, the damning sin of idolatry is called adultery. When the Lord’s people forsake him and worship false gods, their infidelity to Jehovah is described as whoredoms and adultery. ]
3 so he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.
READ Hosea 1:4-11
4 And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; [What does the Lord instruct him to do here with his son? To name him Jezrell How does the Lord use names to provide deeper symbolizm in his messages?
What does the name Jezreel mean? it is the name that was given to the valley of former King Jehu’s bloody purge, it is used to foreshadow Israel’s overthrow in that strategic valley. It is a valley overlooked by Megiddo (New Testament “Armageddon”; see Revelation 16:16) and famed for crucial battles past and future. Jezreel means “God shall sow,” or scatter abroad, since anciently sowing was done by casting handfuls of seed. It undoubtedly alludes to the overthrow and scattering of Israel. ] for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.
Read Hosea 3:1-5
2 so I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: [ Is there any signifigance of the amount paid? It is interesting to note that this sum for the bride price - in relation to the price paid to purchase a slave - the life of a slave was valued at 30 shekels of silver (cf. Exod. 21:32). not only was it the price of a slave but half was paid in barley, not money. Barley is one of the least used grains and was generally despised.
Since t he price paid for the woman was less than that of a slave - what message do you suppose that the prophet trying to get across? The circumstance that the prophet gave no more for the wife than the amount at which a slave could be obtained, . . . and that this amount was not even paid in money, but half of it in barley—a kind of food so generally despised throughout antiquity . . . —was intended to depict still more strikingly the deeply depressed condition of the woman. . . . [If] the woman was satisfied with fifteen shekels and fifteen ephahs of barley, she must have been in a state of very deep distress” (Commentary, 10:1:68–69).
When one considers Gomer as symbolic of Israel, the purchase price implies that Israel’s freedoms had been or would be lost, and in addition she suffered the slavery of sin, which also requires a purchase price before Israel can be reconciled with her Savior. Hosea desired to purchase his wife from slavery just as Heavenly Father seeks after His children to redeem them from Satan’s power with the blood of His son Jesus Christ.
There was little that Israel could do for herself, she was in the throws of sin, a slave to satan unless somone purchased her - but who would do that for a woman in such a state of despare?
In ancient Israel, as in many other ancient
cultures, women were considered the property of their husbands. Since
the woman being bought now “belongs” to someone else, if Hosea wants
her back, he must compensate her lover and buy her back. How
is that an image of our own situation? What symbolism is there here
for how the Savior views his role with/to us? ]
3 And I said unto her, Thou shalt
abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt
not be for another man: [Hosea informs
her she will now be staying under his roof, but she will not be cohabiting
with him, and she will not be permitted to be with any man. What
has or does a harlot do? Commits adultry
- What has Israel done? committed
idolatry Symbolically what could the prophet be
implying here? Israel will be put away so to speak - or ownership
turned over to the Assyrians. In the first marriage Hosea represents
the Lord's present relationship with Israel, they are still wedded but
the wife is unfaithful. In this concubinage Hosea represents the Lord's
imminent change in relationship with Israel, as He is about to bring
Assyria up to sack her and cut her off from her present idolatry, and
end Israel's existence as a nation. She has cheated on her husband (the
Lord), and so she will be sold off to another (the Lord turns her over
to Assyria) and left without any support (Israel ceases to exist as a
nation). What is implied when the
Lord says: “Thou Shalt Not Play the Harlot"?
Even though the purchase price mentioned in Hosea 3:2 has been
paid, there is a time of testing, of waiting and preparing,
before one is reinstated to all the blessings of the covenant
and enjoys the company of a husband and a savior. This principle
is valid whether applied to Gomer as a person or to Gomer as
a figure for Israel. ] So will I
also be for thee. [That
is, if thou, Israel, wilt keep thyself separate from thy idolatry,
and give me proof, by thy total abstinence from idols, that
thou wilt be my faithful worshipper, I will receive thee again,
and in the meantime support thee with the necessaries of life
while thou art in the land of thy captivity.]
so using the similitude of a faithful husband and an adulterous wife, as
described by Hosea what then are we to assume as the relationship between
the Lord and Israel?
One metaphor that is central to Hosea’s message is marriage. The covenant relationship between Jehovah and His people Israel was likened to the relationship between a man and his wife. In the symbolic marriage covenant, God is the husband and Israel, the covenant people, is the bride.
One of the most frequently used similitudes in the scriptures describes the Lord as a bridegroom (or husband) and his covenant people as his bride (or wife). Hosea 1–3 powerfully uses this similitude, comparing Israel’s idol worship to adultery. In these chapters the prophet Hosea represents the Lord as the husband, and Gomer represents Israel as the wife.
In the book of Hosea, the Lord’s relationship with Israel (and with the Church today) is compared to the relationship between a husband and wife.
What should the committment level be between a husband and a wife?
Does this comparison teach us about the
level of commitment and devotion the Lord expects from us?
Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles commented on his experience years before teaching Hosea to his
early morning seminary classes: “The book of Hosea, like the writings of
Isaiah, uses what seem to me almost poetic images. The symbols in Hosea
are a husband, his bride, her betrayal, and a test of marriage covenants
almost beyond comprehension. . . . Here are the fierce words of the husband,
spoken after his wife has betrayed him in adultery: [Hosea 2:6–7]. “He
goes on (through verse 13) to describe the punishment she deserves, and
then comes a remarkable change in the verse that follows. . . . : [Hosea
2:14–15, 19–23]. “At that early point in the story, in just two chapters,
even my youngest students knew that the husband was a metaphor for Jehovah,
Jesus Christ. And they knew that the wife represented his covenant people,
Israel, who had gone after strange gods. They understood that the Lord
was teaching them, through this metaphor, an important principle. Even
though those with whom he has covenanted may be horribly unfaithful to
him, he would not divorce them if they would only turn back to him with
full purpose of heart. “I knew that too, but even more than that, I felt
something. I had a new feeling about what it means to make a covenant with
the Lord. All my life I had heard explanations of covenants as being like
a contract, an agreement where one person agrees to do something and the
other agrees to do something else in return. “For more reasons than I can
explain, during those days teaching Hosea, I felt something new, something
more powerful. This was not a story about a business deal between partners,
nor about business law. . . . This was a love story. This was a story of
a marriage covenant bound by love, by steadfast love. What I felt then,
and it has increased over the years, was that the Lord, with whom I am
blessed to have made covenants, loves me, and you, . . . with a steadfastness
about which I continually marvel and which I want with all my heart to
emulate” (Covenants and Sacrifice [address to religious educators, 15 Aug.
1995], pp. 1–2).
2. Because of his love for his people, the Lord continues to invite Israel to repent and return to him
READ Hosea 13:9-10
9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.
10 I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?
During Hosea’s ministry, the Northern Kingdom (Israel) was attacked by the Assyrians, who would eventually destroy the kingdom and take the people captive. In a literal sense the Assyrians were responsible for the destruction of Israel. But the Lord said, “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself” (Hosea 13:9).
In what sense had Israel destroyed itself?
What was Israel’s only hope for salvation after the destruction of their nation? (See Hosea 13:9–10; 14:1.)
How can keeping our covenants protect us from temporal and spiritual destruction?
Several times the Lord has reminded the Israelites of how their ancestors were delivered out of captivity in Egypt. What might this event be a similitude of?
The Lord uses the similitude often in the scriptures to describe the relationship between the himself and his people as a master-animal relationship. What do we learn about the Lord’s feelings for his people through this comparison?
READ Hosea 11:4
4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands
of love: and I was to them
as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, [“This
is an agricultural simile, and refers to the custom of raising the yoke
from the neck and cheeks of the oxen so that they can more readily eat
their food. Henderson says: ‘The ol, yoke, not only included the piece
of wood on the neck by which the animal was fastened to the pole, but also
the whole of the harness about the head which was connected with it. The
yokes used in the East A yoke for oxen are very heavy, and press so much
upon the animals that they are unable to bend their necks.’ . . . “Compare
this statement with what Jesus says about his yoke in Matthew [11:28–30].”
(James M. Freeman, Manners and Customs of the Bible, p. 317.)] and
I laid meat unto them.
READ Hosea 13:14
14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
(See Hosea 13:14. As the Lord delivered the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, so will he deliver them—and all people who come unto him—from sin and death.)
READ Hosea 14:2-3
What did the Israelites need to do to return to the Lord and receive deliverance? (See Hosea 12:6; 14:2–3. They needed to repent of their sins and renounce the other gods they had worshiped.)
READ Hosea 14:4-8
4 ¶ I will heal their backsliding, [ What is backsliding? animal when being pulled will drop thier back ends to dih the back feet in to avoid sliding - backsliding ] I will alove them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, [ Anyone know anything about the resilency of corn? Almost dead but will come back to life.] and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
8 Ephraim [ Because they were the two dominant tribes, Judah came to represent all the Israelites in the southern Kingdom, and Ephraim came to represent the Israelites in the Northern Kingdom. Thus, as used here, Judah means the southern Kingdom, and Ephraim the Northern Kingdom.] shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.
so what does the Lord promise
to do if they repented? What does
the Lord promise he will do if we repent of our sins?
How do the similitudes in the book of Hosea help you understand how the Savior feels about you?
Conclusion
Testify that while the Lord’s blessings are reserved for those who keep
his commandments, his love is constant and extended to all. Even when we
turn away from him through sin, the Lord loves us and wants us to repent
and return to him. Encourage class members to be faithful to the Lord.
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<p>The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline. You
may
want to use one or more of these ideas as part of the lesson.<br>
1. “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6)</p>
<p>In Hosea 6:6 the Lord tells Israel, “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice;
and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” During his earthly
ministry, Christ twice referred to this verse to answer criticism from
the Pharisees (Matthew 9:13; 12:7). After examining the context of these
two references (Matthew 9:10–13; 12:1–8), discuss what this verse means.</p>
<p><br>
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<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
Hosea 6:3 is a call to seek the knowledge of Jehovah,<br>
whose rising is fixed like the morning dawn and whose<br>
blessing is “as the latter and former rain unto the earth.”<br>
To the farmer in ancient Israel, two “rains” were very<br>
critical. The former (or first) rains softened the earth<br>
so that he could plow it and plant the seed; the latter<br>
(or second) rains gave the crop its growth. (See also<br>
Joel 2:23.)<br>
(10-22) Hosea 6:6. What Did Israel Lack in Her<br>
Relationship to Jehovah?<br>
“Israel’s fidelity, then, was that of a fickle woman.<br>
It lacked the steadfastness, the trustworthiness of true<br>
covenant love. In Hosea’s native language, Israel lacked<br>
hésed. This word is exceedingly difficult to render into<br>
English. (The Revised Standard Version usually<br>
translates it ‘steadfast love.’) It is a covenant word that<br>
refers to the faithfulness or loyal love that binds two<br>
parties together in covenant. When a person shows<br>
hésed to another, he is not motivated merely by legal<br>
obligation but by an inner loyalty which arises out of<br>
the relationship itself. Such covenant love has the quality<br>
of constancy, firmness, steadfastness. In Hosea’s vivid<br>
figure, Israel’s hésed was like a transient morning<br>
cloud, or like the morning dew that evaporates quickly<br>
(6:4). Hence Yahweh [Jehovah] scorned the existing<br>
forms of worship:<br>
“‘For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the<br>
knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings.’—<br>
Hosea 6:6<br>
“We probably should not press Hosea’s words to<br>
mean that he was opposed to formal worship. But<br>
clearly he was opposed to forms that were devoid of<br>
the spirit of true faithfulness to the God of the covenant.<br>
Jesus twice asked his hearers to go and reread Hosea<br>
6:6 when he was accused of breaking the formal rules<br>
of orthodoxy (cf. Matt. 9:13 and 12:7).” (Bernhard W.<br>
Anderson, Understanding the Old Testament, p. 248.)<br>
(10-23) Hosea 7:8–9. How Is Ephraim a “Cake Not<br>
Turned”?<br>
Because Ephraim (the Northern Kingdom) had mixed<br>
with other nations, worshiped their idols, and learned<br>
their ways, she had only fulfilled half the requisites for<br>
the conquest of Canaan, or she was only “half baked.”<br>
“Israel had thereby become a cake not turned. [The<br>
image in Hebrew is of] a cake baked upon hot ashes or<br>
red-hot stones, which, if it be not turned, is burned at the<br>
bottom, and not baked at all above. The meaning of this<br>
figure is explained by ver. 9. As the fire will burn an<br>
ash-cake when it is left unturned, so have foreigners<br>
consumed the strength of Israel, partly by devastating<br>
wars, and partly by the heathenish nature which has<br>
penetrated into Israel in their train.” (Keil and Delitzsch,<br>
Commentary, 10:1:107–8.)<br>
(10-24) Hosea 7:11–13. What Were the Dangers of<br>
Israel’s Entangling Alliances?<br>
“We live at a time when the drums of war cause many<br>
people . . . to debate whether or not we ought to make<br>
alliances with other countries in self-defense. During<br>
Hosea’s ministry there occurred conspiracies and other<br>
internal disturbances that seriously weakened Israel<br>
(2 Kings 15). In desperation the people alternately<br>
sought aid from Assyria and Egypt, paying tribute to<br>
both, with the result that they lost their independence<br>
and national autonomy, being forced to accept vassalage<br>
to Assyria. Hosea warned the nation of its folly<br>
in seeking alliances with foreign nations. Political<br>
alliances would not remedy the real cause of their<br>
trouble—moral disease and rebellion against God.<br>
Hosea doubtless believed that God would protect His<br>
own if they but trusted Him.<br>
“‘And Ephraim is become like a silly dove, without<br>
understanding; They call unto Egypt, they go to<br>
Assyria.’ (7:11)<br>
“Hosea wanted his people to avoid making covenants<br>
with nations whose sole reliance was on force. Let the<br>
big nations fight their own wars; little nations that<br>
elected to mix up with them were sure to be worsted.<br>
The big nations, furthermore, had religious practices<br>
that were utterly opposite to prophetic ideals. Their<br>
immoralities, added to those already prevalent in Israel<br>
would, in time, wreck the nation. So Israel would<br>
spread the net of destruction over herself. Instead<br>
of courting God’s love and protection, her courting of<br>
the nations would only put her in a trap—and it did.”<br>
(Sperry, Voice of Israel’s Prophets, pp. 285–86.)<br>
(10-25) Hosea 7:14. Why Would the People Cry for<br>
Corn and Wine?<br>
When hardships come, some cry upon their beds.<br>
Rather than pray to God with all their heart, they look<br>
for corn and wine—something to take away the hurt.<br>
They do not seek that which brings the Lord’s help.<br>
(10-26) Hosea 7:16. A Deceitful Bow<br>
A “deceitful bow” is one that flies back to its curved<br>
position while the archer is stringing it or breaks while<br>
he has it drawn. In either case, the archer can be<br>
wounded.<br>
(10-27) Hosea 8:8–9. A Wild Ass<br>
Awild ass is one of the most independent and<br>
unreliable beasts on earth. Because Israel wanted to go<br>
her own way and be alone, she was likened to a wild ass.<br>
She would go alone into Assyria and be swallowed up<br>
by the Gentiles. The “lovers” hired by Ephraim represent<br>
her continued attempt to find security and friends<br>
through political alliances rather than through<br>
obedience to God.<br>
(10-28) Hosea 8:13; 9:3, 6. Egypt<br>
Egypt was the land of the first captivity—between<br>
the times of Joseph and Moses. The word here refers to<br>
captivity or bondage in general; thus, Assyria is the<br>
new Egypt.<br>
(10-29) Hosea 9:7. Why Did Hosea Say the “Prophet Is<br>
a Fool”?<br>
Hosea was referring to false prophets who were<br>
saying that all was well in Israel and that their<br>
enemies would not come against them.<br>
108<br>
(10-30) Hosea 9:10–17. The Imagery of Hosea<br>
Hosea used several figurative expressions that ancient<br>
Israel would clearly understand but which are not<br>
clearly understood by modern readers.<br>
Grapes in the wilderness; first ripe fruit of the fig (v. 10).<br>
Both grapes and figs were viewed as choice fruits by<br>
the people anciently. Jehovah found Israel, at first, a<br>
delightful thing.<br>
Baal-peor (v. 10). Another way of saying the people<br>
were committing immoral acts (see Numbers 25:1–3;<br>
Psalm 106:28).<br>
Ephraim’s glory flies away (v. 11). The Northern<br>
Kingdom shall see no conception, no pregnancy, no<br>
birth—Ephraim will be left totally desolate.<br>
Have children but be bereaved (v. 12). Even their<br>
grown-up sons shall be cut off.<br>
Ephraim and Tyre (Tyrus) (v. 13). Tyre was renowned<br>
for its glory and splendor. God had chosen Ephraim<br>
for similar blessings, but because of their wickedness<br>
they would be barren.<br>
Gilgal (v. 15). See Notes and Commentary on Hosea<br>
4:15.<br>
The princes are revolters (v. 15). See Notes and<br>
Commentary on Hosea 5:1–2.</p>
<p><br>
(10-31) Hosea 10:12. How Can Israel or Any Child of<br>
God Obtain Mercy?<br>
“Mercy is not showered [indiscriminately] upon<br>
mankind, except in the general sense that it is manifest<br>
in the creation and peopling of the earth and in the<br>
granting of immortality to all men as a free gift. Rather,<br>
mercy is granted (because of the grace, love, and<br>
condescension of God), as it is with all blessings, to<br>
those who comply with the law upon which its receipt<br>
is predicated. (D. & C. 130:20–21.) That law is the law<br>
of righteousness; those who sow righteousness, reap mercy.<br>
(Hos. 10:12.) There is no promise of mercy to the wicked;<br>
rather, as stated in the Ten Commandments, the Lord<br>
promises to show mercy unto thousands of them that<br>
love him and keep his commandments. (Ex. 20:6; Dan.<br>
9:4; D. & C. 70:18.)” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 484.)<br>
(10-32) Hosea 10:12–13. The Law of the Harvest<br>
If one plants or does works of righteousness, he<br>
reaps mercy and the blessings of obedience (see D&C<br>
130:20–21). If one plants wickedness, he reaps iniquity.<br>
What one gets is the result of what one does. What one<br>
does is a result of where one puts one’s trust. We can<br>
trust God, or power, or friends, or money; but what<br>
we receive will depend on what we trusted (see also<br>
Hosea 8:7).<br>
Elder Bernard P. Brockbank counseled college<br>
students: “If you sow seeds of righteousness, you will<br>
harvest righteousness. If you sow thorns and corruption,<br>
you will reap thorns and corruption. A prophet of the<br>
Lord said, ‘For they have sown the wind, and they<br>
shall reap the whirlwind’ (Hosea 8:7). If you sow seeds<br>
of purity, you will harvest purity. If you sow seeds of<br>
petting, immorality, and promiscuity, you will harvest<br>
destruction to your godlike attributes. If you sow<br>
seeds of pure love, you will receive pure love. If you<br>
love God with all your heart and with all your soul<br>
and with all your mind, you will reap God’s love. If<br>
you would obtain celestial glory, you must plant into<br>
your heart and character God’s heavenly ways. Jesus<br>
admonished in these words: ‘For if you will that I give<br>
unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare<br>
yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded<br>
you and required of you’ (D&C 78:7). If you want a<br>
celestial life, you will have to plant celestial seeds. Pure<br>
religion comes from God. If you want pure religion in<br>
your life, you must plant the gospel of Jesus Christ in<br>
your heart. Remember, ‘As a man thinketh in his heart,<br>
so is he.’ If you think as a celestial being, you will be a<br>
celestial being. If you think as a child of God should<br>
think, you will be a member of his celestial family.”<br>
(“Be Worthy of Celestial Exaltation,” in Speeches of the<br>
Year, 1974, pp. 386–87.)<br>
(10-33) Hosea 10:14. Who Was Shalman?<br>
Shalman may be Shalmaneser and Beth-arbel may<br>
be the Armenian city Arbela, which Shalmaneser<br>
destroyed while still a general under Tiglath-pileser<br>
(see Adam Clarke, The Holy Bible . . . with a Commentary<br>
and Critical Notes, 4:645).<br>
(10-34) Hosea 11:1. Israel’s Coming out of Egypt<br>
Matthew saw the emergence of Israel from Egypt as<br>
a type or pattern of Jesus’ coming out of Egypt (see<br>
Matthew 2:15). When the Israelites were humble, God<br>
could work miracles with them. (See also Hosea 12:13.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><br>
(10-36) Hosea 12:1. Feeding on the Wind<br>
“Feeding on the wind” (see Hosea 12:1) is believing<br>
that which has not truth or substance. Carrying oil into<br>
Egypt (see v. 1) represents the attempt to get protection<br>
through tribute from an alliance with Egypt.<br>
(10-37) Hosea 13:13–14. What Are the Analogies in<br>
These Verses?<br>
The travailing woman is Israel, and “as there is a<br>
critical time in parturition [the process of giving birth]<br>
in which the mother in hard labour may by skillful<br>
assistants be eased of her burden, which, if neglected,<br>
may endanger the life both of parent and child; so there<br>
was a time in which Ephraim might have returned to<br>
God, but they would not; therefore they are now in<br>
danger of being finally destroyed.” (Clarke,<br>
Commentary, 4:651.)<br>
Hosea 13:14 uses the figures of resurrection as a<br>
metaphor that promises the gathering and restoration<br>
of Israel. The “dry bones” metaphor in Ezekiel 37:1–14<br>
conveys the same message. The fact that the resurrection<br>
is symbolic of the gathering of Israel does not diminish<br>
the usefulness of these passages in proving that the<br>
resurrection was a firm doctrine among the Israelites.<br>
In fact, just the opposite is true; for a metaphor of this<br>
type loses its force if the type or figure used is not real.<br>
At the end of Hosea 13:14, the Lord says “repentance<br>
shall be hid from mine eyes.” This could mean that<br>
the Lord will not swerve in His purpose even though<br>
Israel may cry out for deliverance. When the grave is<br>
conquered, however, and the judgments rendered,<br>
there will be no more sin; hence, no more repentance<br>
because all will be assigned to a kingdom whose laws<br>
they can obey.<br>
<br>
</p>
<p><br>
POINTS TO PONDER<br>
(10-39) Concepts Taught in Hosea<br>
some individual verses in Hosea, because of the<br>
symbolism, contain whole concepts or sermons. Listed<br>
below are some examples for your consideration. Read<br>
them and underline the ones you like in your Bible. Try<br>
to understand their symbolic meaning. Commit some<br>
to memory to use as a spiritual thought or short sermon.</p>
<p><br>
Hosea 6:1. “Come, and let us return unto the Lord:<br>
for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten,<br>
and he will bind us up.”</p>
<p><br>
Hosea 6:4. “O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O<br>
Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as<br>
a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.”</p>
<p><br>
Hosea 8:7. “For they have sown the wind, and they<br>
shall reap the whirlwind.”</p>
<p><br>
Hosea 10:13. “Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have<br>
reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because<br>
thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy<br>
mighty men.”</p>
<p><br>
Hosea 11:1. “When Israel was a child, then I loved<br>
him, and called my son out of Egypt.”</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
Hosea 13:4. “Yet I am the Lord thy God from the<br>
land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for<br>
there is no saviour beside me.”<br>
Hosea 13:9. “Oh Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself;<br>
but in me is thine help.”<br>
Hosea 14:1. “O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God;<br>
for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.”<br>
Hosea 14:5. “I will be as the dew unto Israel.” (In a<br>
land of little rain, dew gives life to the desert as God’s<br>
love gives life to us.)<br>
(10-40) Gomer and Hosea: A Story of Hope<br>
In the book of Hosea we can see two applications for<br>
the symbols Hosea and Gomer. We can think of each as<br>
having been living people, or we can apply the second<br>
analogy where Hosea represents God and Gomer<br>
represents a nation—Israel. The second representation<br>
illustrates God’s love for an unfaithful people, while<br>
the first application has a personal message of comfort<br>
and encouragement for you to remain faithful to your<br>
covenants and promises.<br>
Review the two suggested applications of Hosea’s<br>
message and see if Hosea and Gomer’s experiences are<br>
like those of someone you know.<br>
(10-41) Dealing with Betrayal<br>
The modern world entices people as it did in the days<br>
of Hosea to worship at the shrine of pleasure. Because<br>
the sin is as enticing as ever, many people give into<br>
temptation. someone you know well may betray your<br>
trust. What can compare to the hurt that accompanies<br>
betrayed trusts, friendships, confidences, and even<br>
covenants? Feelings of bitterness, revenge, pride, and<br>
withdrawal are immediately experienced.<br>
How could Hosea still have loved Gomer? How could<br>
God still have loved Israel? How could Jesus have said,<br>
“Forgive them; for they know not what they do”?<br>
(Luke 23:34). How can you still love someone who has<br>
betrayed you?<br>
Dealing with the feelings that come with betrayal may<br>
be one of the greatest trials of your life. Humility must replace pride;
charity, revenge; hope, despair; faith, fear.<br>
These trials may require your greatest prayers as you seek to forgive someone
who has betrayed you.</p>
<p><span class="question"><strong>What can we learn
from the story of Gomer?</strong></span><br>
God loves you, no matter what you have ever done to hurt or disappoint
Him, and He has provided a way for you to return to Him. The story of
Gomer clearly shows God’s love for you. Even when you break His commandments
and your life seems to fall apart, God’s greatest desire is to see you
repent and come back to receive the happiness of a good life.<br>
The world today exhibits many of the same social ills that existed in Gomer’s
time. Perhaps in the past you have forgotten covenants in order to respond
to the promises and flattery of the world. Now you know the longing to
be loved and trusted again. For you, the story of Gomer testifies of hope
and a Redeemer who longs to have you restored to the close relationship
you once had with Him (see Hosea 3:1–2). Her story is a promise that if
you will return “home” and prove your repentance and faithfulness (see
Hosea 3:3–4), then all that you desire will be restored to you (see Hosea
2:19–23).<br>
Enduring or overcoming trials in proving your repentance and faithfulness
will require your greatest efforts in prayer and acts of obedience to God’s
laws.<br>
110</p>
<p>You may want to use the following activity (or one of your own) to begin
the lesson.<br>
Distribute the papers you have prepared among class members (see “Preparation”
above). Explain that each of these phrases is a comparison from the book
of Hosea. Have each class member who received a paper read the phrase aloud
and suggest one possible meaning for the comparison. For example, saying
someone is “as a lion” may indicate strength or fierceness.<br>
• Why do you think Hosea and other prophets used comparisons? (Comparing
a complicated or unfamiliar idea with one that is simpler or more familiar
makes it more understandable to the people who are being taught. Comparisons
also help provide a lot of detail in just a few words.) <br>
Explain that in addition to these smaller comparisons, Hosea also used
extended comparisons, which are called metaphors or similitudes (similitude
is the word used in the scriptures). The book of Hosea contains several
comparisons to help us understand the relationship between Jesus Christ
and his people.<br>
Scripture Discussion and Application<br>
As you teach the following scripture passages, discuss how they apply to
daily life. Encourage class members to share experiences that relate to
the scriptural principles.<br>
1. Using the similitude of a faithful husband and an adulterous wife, Hosea
describes the relationship between the Lord and Israel.<br>
Teach and discuss Hosea 1–3. If you did not use the attention activity,
explain what a similitude is before you begin the discussion.<br>
One of the most frequently used similitudes in the scriptures describes
the Lord as a bridegroom (or husband) and his covenant people as his bride
(or wife). Hosea 1–3 powerfully uses this similitude, comparing Israel’s
idol worship to adultery. In these chapters the prophet Hosea represents
the Lord as the husband, and Gomer represents Israel as the wife.<br>
• In the book of Hosea, the Lord’s relationship with Israel (and with the
Church today) is compared to the relationship between a husband and wife.
What does this comparison teach us about the level of commitment and devotion
the Lord expects from us? <br>
• In what way was ancient Israel comparable to Gomer, who is described
as “a wife of whoredoms”? (See Hosea 1:2–3; 2:5, 13. Gomer had left her
husband for her lovers; Israel had forgotten the Lord and become wicked.) <br>
• Who or what were Israel’s “lovers”—the things that caused the people
to turn away from the Lord? (Other gods, material goods, and the practices
of the world.) What things may divert us from our dedication to following
the Savior? <br>
• To whom did the adulterous wife give credit for her food and clothing?
(See Hosea 2:5.) To whom did the Israelites attribute the fruitful land
in which they lived? (See Hosea 2:5, 12; to their false gods or idols.)
How do people today give credit to false gods for the blessings they receive? <br>
• How did the husband remind his wife that he—not her lovers—supplied her
with food, water, and other possessions? (See Hosea 2:8–9.) In what ways
has the Lord provided you with material and spiritual blessings? How can
we show our appreciation to the Lord for the blessings he gives us? <br>
• What was the attitude of the husband toward his unfaithful wife in Hosea
2:6–13? How was this attitude different in verses 14–23? (Point out that
even though the wife had been unfaithful, the husband still loved her and
wanted her to come back to him. Likewise, the Lord still loves his people
who have gone astray, and he wants them to turn again to him.) <br>
Elder Henry B. Eyring explained: “This was a love story. This was a story
of a marriage covenant bound by love, by steadfast love. … The Lord, with
whom I am blessed to have made covenants, loves me, and you, … with a steadfastness
about which I continually marvel and which I want with all my heart to
emulate” (Covenants and Sacrifice [address delivered at the Church Educational
System Symposium, 15 Aug. 1995], 2). <br>
• What did the husband promise his wife if she would return to him? (See
Hosea 2:19.) What does the Lord promise his people if they will repent
and return to him? (See Hosea 2:20, 23.) Why is this promise important? <br>
• In Hosea 3:1–2, the husband purchased his wife from her lover (you may
want to explain that in Old Testament cultures, women were often considered
property and could be bought or sold). What did the husband require of
his wife after he purchased her? (See Hosea 3:3.) What did he promise her?
In what sense has Jesus Christ “bought” each of us? (See 1 Peter 1:18–19.)
What does Christ require of us in return? <br>
2. Because of his love for his people, the Lord continues to invite Israel
to repent and return to him.<br>
Teach and discuss Hosea 11; 13–14.<br>
Throughout the book of Hosea, the Lord reproves the Israelites for their
great sins. After the Lord, through Hosea, describes the captivity and
destruction that will result from Israel’s wickedness, he again invites
his people to repent and return to him.<br>
• Another similitude often used in the scriptures to describe the relationship
between the Lord and his people is the master-animal relationship. This
similitude is used briefly in Hosea 11:4. What do we learn about the Lord’s
feelings for his people through this comparison? (See also Hosea 11:7–9.
Note that the Joseph Smith Translation of verse 8 says “mine heart is turned
toward thee” instead of “mine heart is turned within me.”) <br>
• Several times the Lord reminded the Israelites of how their ancestors
were delivered out of captivity in Egypt (Hosea 11:1; 12:9, 13; 13:4–5).
What might this event be a similitude of? (See Hosea 13:14. As the Lord
delivered the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, so will he deliver
them—and all people who come unto him—from sin and death.) <br>
• What did the Israelites need to do to return to the Lord and receive
deliverance? (See Hosea 12:6; 14:2–3. They needed to repent of their sins
and renounce the other gods they had worshiped.) What did the Lord promise
to do if they repented? (See Hosea 14:4–7.) What does the Lord promise
he will do if we repent of our sins? <br>
• How do the similitudes in the book of Hosea help you understand how the
Savior feels about you? <br>
Conclusion<br>
Testify that while the Lord’s blessings are reserved for those who keep
his commandments, his love is constant and extended to all. Even when we
turn away from him through sin, the Lord loves us and wants us to repent
and return to him. Encourage class members to be faithful to the Lord.<br>
Additional Teaching Ideas<br>
The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline. You may
want to use one or more of these ideas as part of the lesson.<br>
1. “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6)<br>
In Hosea 6:6 the Lord tells Israel, “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice;
and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” During his earthly
ministry, Christ twice referred to this verse to answer criticism from
the Pharisees (Matthew 9:13; 12:7). After examining the context of these
two references (Matthew 9:10–13; 12:1–8), discuss what this verse means.<br>
2. “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself” (Hosea 13:9)<br>
During Hosea’s ministry, the Northern Kingdom (Israel) was attacked by
the Assyrians, who would eventually destroy the kingdom and take the people
captive. In a literal sense the Assyrians were responsible for the destruction
of Israel. But the Lord said, “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself” (Hosea
13:9).<br>
• In what sense had Israel destroyed itself? What was Israel’s only hope
for salvation after the destruction of their nation? (See Hosea 13:9–10;
14:1.) <br>
How can following Jesus Christ protect us from temporal and spiritual destruction?<br>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</p>
<p>Lesson 34: Hosea 1-3; 11; 13-14<br>
The book of Hosea is an excellent example of a book that we often find
difficult because we don’t understand “the manner of prophesying among
the Jews” (2 Nephi 25.1). One of the most important of those ways of
prophesying was the use of types and shadows. (See Romans 5:14; Colossians
2:17; Hebrews 8:5, 9:9 and 24, and 10:1; and Mosiah 3:15, 13:10, and
16:14.) The key to understanding Hosea is to recognize that the relation
of Israel to the Lord is typified by the marriage relation and that Israel
in apostasy is typified by an unfaithful wife. That relation is used
in this book to call Israel to repentance.<br>
Initially Hosea uses a negative version of the bride-and-groom metaphor
to teach Israel that, though they are unfaithful to him, he will remain
faithful to them. For us, the surprising thing about the book of Hosea
is that Hosea does not only use the metaphor of the faithful husband and
the unfaithful wife linguistically, he acts it out by marrying an unfaithful
woman.<br>
some have insisted that we cannot understand Hosea’s story literally. Most
readers have argued that we should. some have argued that the Lord commanded
Hosea to marry a woman who was not a harlot at the time, but whom he knew
would become one. But, whatever side of that argument you wish to defend,
it is important to remember that such arguments are beside the point. They
take us away from the lesson of Hosea to other issues. We will read the
story as we have it in scripture, looking to learn the lessons that story
teaches us, and we will not worry about whether the Lord really commanded
Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman.<br>
Hosea was a prophet during the reign of Jeroboam II (approximately 750-790
B.C.), king of Israel, and during the reign of those who followed. The
traditional dates given for the years of his prophetic work are 760-720
B.C. Jewish tradition says that his father, Beeri, was also a prophet and
that one of Beeri’s prophecies was included in Isaiah’s prophecies (Isaiah
8:19-20). Micah, Isaiah, and Amos were contemporary with Hosea, and all
four of these prophets agreed in what they said about Israel and Judah:
they were morally and spiritually ill. Hosea 4 gives a bleak description
of Israel, summarized in verse 1: “There is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge
of God in the land.” Israel’s spiritual illness was reflected in her politics:
she was constantly quarreling with her neighbors, winning and losing unending
battles, while at the same time she and those neighbors were threatened
by the huge power of Assyria. And the political strife was not only between
Judah and Israel, on the one hand, and other nations, on the other. It
was also internal. In the south, Judah was at war with Ephraim (see chapter
5). And, after Jeroboam II died, there were three kings on Israel’s throne
within one year, followed by continual fighting by those who claimed to
be king and, shortly, the end of the kingdom. (See 13:11.)<br>
Questions<br>
Chapter 1<br>
Verses 4-5: The first son is born and named Jezreel, or “I will sow.” What
connotations does this name have? Can it have positive connotations? Why
isn’t his name changed after Gomer repents? What does it mean that the
Lord will “break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel”?<br>
Verses 6-7: The name “Lo-ruhamah” is the name “Ruhamah,” mercy, with a
negative prefix. So it means “no mercy” or “no compassion.” What does it
mean that the Lord will have mercy on Israel, but not on Judah? What is
the division between Israel and Judah? What does it mean to say that the
Lord will not save Judah “by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, . . .”?
How will he save them?<br>
Verses 8-9: Like Lo-ruhamah, Lo-ammi, is the name “Ammi” with a negative
prefix. “Ammi” means “my people.” Notice that verse 3 says Gomer “conceived,
and bare him a son,” but verses 6 and 8 just say that she “conceived, and
bare a [child].” Many have understood this to be a way of saying that Hosea
was not the father of the second two children.<br>
Verses 10-11: What do these two verses have to do with the rest of the
chapter? What promise is made? To whom? Does remembering the meaning of
the name, “Jezreel,” add a dimension to the meaning of the phrase “great
shall be the day of Jezreel”?<br>
Chapter 2<br>
Verse 1: Why has Hosea dropped the negative prefix from his daughter’s
and his son’s names? Why change their names? What does this say about him?
What might it show Israel?<br>
Verses 2-5: What does Hosea ask in verse 2? Verse 3 describes the punishment
of adultery (compare Ezekiel 16:39), and verse 4 continues that description.
Notice that the description of these children at the end of verse 4 is
paralleled by Gomer’s description of them in verse 12 where she describes
the children as the rewards of her lovers rather than the children of Hosea,
adding weight to the usual interpretation of verses 3, 6, and 8, that Hosea
was not their father. In verse 5, what does she say she wanted from her
lovers? What do these verses say to Israel? What do they say to us?<br>
Verses 6-13: This section begins with Hosea speaking of what he will do
to convince Gomer to return and it ends with the Lord speaking of Israel
forgetting him. This change in voice may seem odd to us, but it is perfectly
appropriate in typological writing: Hosea the prophet is a shadow of the
Lord.<br>
What is Hosea going to do to convince Gomer to return? Who has been providing
her with her needs? Compare what Hosea has been giving her with what she
wants from her lovers. Notice that she thinks of her children as gifts
of her lovers, just as she thought the necessities of life came from them.
What does this show us about her? What do these things tell us about Israel?
About ourselves?<br>
Notice, in verse 11, that her mirth (her joy or rejoicing) is defined by
her feast days and so on, indications of her idolatry. Notice, too, that
the trees of a forest (to which she compares her children) are non-bearing
trees. They have no fruit.<br>
Verses 14-15: The word translated “allure” could also be translated “persuade
her with endearing words.” What does this say about how the Lord deals
with Israel? In verse 15, why does the Lord offer marriage presents to
someone to whom he is already married?<br>
Compare the reference to the wilderness here with the reference in verse
3. How do they differ? The reference here is an allusion to the Exodus
from Egypt. How is that relevant? As the footnotes point out, in verse
15, the word “Achor” can also be translated “trouble.” How does that translation
help us understand the point of these two verses? In addition, the valley
of Achor was a valley the children of Israel had to pass through on their
way from Egypt to the Promised Land. How is that significant to this verse?
Why is the Exodus such an important type for scripture?<br>
Verses 16-17: What is the significance of this change in the form of address?
What is the difference between a husband and a master? The word “Baali”
is connected with idolatry, with Baal worship. So what?<br>
Verse 18: What is the point of this verse? What is the Lord promising?<br>
Verses 19-20: What does the word “betroth” mean? What does it mean to be
betrothed to the Lord? How does the image of betrothal compare to that
of being the Lord’s children (compare 1:10)? What does each image teach
us?<br>
Verses 21-22: Perhaps a better translation of the word translated “hear”
in these verses would be “pay attention to” or “respond to.” What is the
Lord promising in these verses? Does the fact that the verse ends with
the name Jezreel—”I will sow”—help us understand the promise made?
Is there more than one level of this promise? In other words, can it be
read as meaning more than one thing? Corn, wine, and oil may be an oblique
reference to the temple ritual and sacrifices. If so, how might that be
relevant to the promise made here?<br>
Verse 23: In the last verses of this chapter, the names of Hosea’s and
Gomer’s children are important. For example, verse 19 ends with a reference
to mercy or compassion, the name of their daughter (Ruhamah, 1:6). As we
saw, verse 22 ends with the mention of their first son, Jezreel, and, if
we remember the meaning of the first son’s name, verse 23 begins with a
mention of him. Then this verse mentions their daughter, Ruhamah, and finally
it mentions their second son, Ammi. so, if we recognize the connection
of the names to the meanings of the names, verse 23 mentions each child
in order of birth and could be translated like this:<br>
Then I will sow her (Jezreel) unto me in the earth and I will have mercy
on She-Who-Did-Not-Receive-Mercy (Lo-Ruhamah); and I will say to He-Who-Is-Not-My-People
(Lo-Ammi), Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.<br>
How does this bring together the shadow (Hosea’s experience with his wife,
Gomer) and the original (the Lord’s experience with Israel)? So what?<br>
Chapter 3<br>
Verse 1: What is the Lord commanding Hosea to do when he says “Love the
woman who is beloved of another and an adulteress”? (I’ve used another
translation to make the King James translation more clear.) Deuteronomy
4:4 forbids a man whose wife has become the wife of another person from
remarrying her, so what Hosea does here seems, strictly speaking, to be
illegal. What do you make of that? How does that add depth to the story?<br>
Verse 2:<br>
Verse 3-5: What is Hosea’s message to Omer? What is the Lord’s message
to Israel?</p>